Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-20
NOT AN ABIDING LOVE.
A ROMANCE WITH AN EARLY BEGIN
MING ENDS CRiMINALLY.

Mysterious Poisoning Case in the Denver
Courts-A Couple Who Began Their Love
When They Were Small Children-one
of Them Dead, Poisoned by the Other
The Wages of Sin Illustrated.
DENVER, Colo, July 20-Mrs. Emily O..
Witter, who is charged with poisoning her
husband who recently died here, was brought
into court Tuesday and put under bonds of
10000, which she readily gave, and, getting
into her carriage, returned to her home John
A Witter was wealthy and well-known cit
izen of this city, and the mystery of his poison
ing, in the opinion of some will never be
cleared up. That he was poisoned there is
no doubt Chemists who analysed his stom-
ach and liver and some of the food that had
been prepared for him found arsenic in it.
The coroner's jury so decided in their verdict,
but charged no one with the crime. Public
sentiment demanded an investigation, and a
warrant was sworn out for Mrs. Writer'S ar
rest, and she appeared in court and gave bail,
as above stated.
The story is one of romance and crime II
begins with the love of two children. All OF
South Bend, Ind, remember the story of the
early friendship and love of jennie Witter
and Emma Marble Emma was Johnnie's
sweetheart, and when they reached manhood
and womanhood they still loved and were
wed No clouds darkened the earlier years
of this married life Two children came tc
gladden. their hearts The husband prospered
in business in this western country, accumu
lating, It is estimated, a fortune of not less
than 100000 1t seemed to be happy
family, but the storm came
The husband sought the society of Other
women. This, it is said, first caused tn,
troubles that followed. Yet they lived at tbs
same house, but not as man and wife Tht
two children, in sense, seemed to keep then
together The woman to whom Witter paiC
the most attention was his own niece, Mrs
Hatton, of this city, while his wife was lef
to her own bitter thoughts and misery al
home. His wife attempted to dissuade hin
from his course, but to no purpose
About three months ago Mrs. Hatton, the
niece, went TO Europe About that time Wit
ter was talking of selling his property, but h
was taken sick, and gradually grew worse
and the physicians of the city found il
him patient whose disease baffied all theil
skill Consultation after consultation wa
held, but it did no good. Then the nurse
made discovery. A cup of milk which sh'
had received from Mrs. Witter for the sicl
man had powder in it. 1t looked suspi
cious, and saving the sediment the nurs'
gave it to the attending physician, who OF
analysing found that it contained arsenic
Other suspicious circumstances arose
Mrs. Witter, so says the nurse
refused to let the children eat
meat that had been prepared for he
husband The attending physician mad
up his mind that the patient must be removes
from his own home Under the pretense tina
Witter could not sleep owing to the noise o
the street cars, the doctor had him taken Il
the house of friend But Witter could no
live. His stomach had been burnt up b,
arsenic and three days after his removal b
died His children were brought to his bed
side at the hour of death, but his wife wa
not sent for The finding of arsenic by tn
chemists afterward has already been stated
The nurse in an interview, says that Mrs
Witter had become monomaniac on tn
subject of her troubles Some of Mrs. Wit
ters friends also claim that the deceased wa
addicted to the use of arsenic The tria
promises to be one of the most sensational
that ever came up in the courts of the west
Mrs. Witter although remembered in tn
will her husband made on his death bed, i
not satisfied and will contest it in the courts
The trial will bring out some very sensationa
testimony Some prominent people vii
probably be involved